Pushing Delta 400; What Developer?

Hey all,

I'm trying to figure out what developer to use pushing Delta 400 to 800; haven't used Delta film much and certaintly never pushed it. Usually i shoot Tri-x in Tmax Developer(1:4). Should I use the Tmax? Or I might order some DD-X or XTOL if it really is that much better. So basically what developer would you all reccommend. 35 mm Format Btw

Thanks!

Edit: Also I don't necessarily mind grain, Tri-x in Tmax has looked just fine to me and I'm not against some more grain, just not too excessive i don't think. But I still want to hear what in your opinion produces the best negs and why.

I've used Microphen at 800 with good results. I haven't tried DD-X, but it should be good as well. Have you looked at Ilford's data sheets?

The film will not be hard to push to 800....not at all. I would not go to extreme lengths by trying different developers unless you need to push farther than that.

T-max Developer would work well to push this film if you shot it in flat light, as would DDX, X-Tol, or D-19. IME, D-19 truly does help bolster film speed in the shadows a quite noticeable amount (by jacking up the contrast so enormously that the shadows get pulled up in density along with everything else).

IMO, you don't want to push with any of these developers if you are trying to combat a contrasty lighting situation. If you shot it in contrasty light, but had to underexpose, and want to try to get the most out of the shadows without sending the highlights through the roof, I would try D-76, or even better, D-23. The developers above will block up your high tones more than these two will.

I am sure there are other fancy options, but I have limited my comments to developers with which I have actual experience. The only one I do not know well is D-23, but I do know that my initial film speed and contrast testing with it suggests that as long as it doesn't poop out during long development times, it would be an excellent push developer, due to its raising of shadow densities without easily blocking highlights (vs my standard developer, Ilfotec HC). Also, my only experience with T-Max developer is with T-Max film. When I use one, I use the other, and use neither of them with anything else, except for the occasional batch in D-19 when I really need to push the heck out of something AND jack up the contrast.

hallo

d-23 my preferred overall
x-tol some friends of mine use it
diafine maybe
emofin i dont know

2F/2F, I really wouldn't consider the scenes I shot to be contrasty beyond normal. But thanks for your insight, especially on D-76 and D-23.
And I consciously pushed the film, meaning I told the camera to expose it like 800 film, I don't think that really changes anything, but throwing that out there.

Also Ilford suggests an initial agitation of 10 secs and then 10 every minute there after. But I am accustomed to 30 sec continous initially and then 5 sec ever 30 sec. Is there a vast difference in results that way? Finally before i overwhelm people with questions. On the Delta 400 Data sheet, Ilford bolds certain times as having "normal contrast" does that mean that those beyond or below that don't? Or with that developer that is what looks the most like the film developed at 400, using their prefered devolper.

Data Sheet for Delta 400; Bolded times on pg. 3
http://www.ilfordphoto.com/download.asp?n=19&f=20061301939551456.pdf

Finnally any experience with times for Ilford in general? Do they need to be extended? etc. Says about 8.5 min @ 68F which sounds pretty plausible, but I'd figure I'd make sure.

Also a different Random Question, is there a difference in developing times because of the inherently different technology and grain structure between old(Tri-x, HP5+?) and new films(Tmax 400, Delta400 etc)?

dev. in t-max 1:4 68*f 8 1/2 min

travelingman said:

Finally any experience with times for Ilford in general? Do they need to be extended? etc. Says about 8.5 min @ 68F which sounds pretty plausible, but I'd figure I'd make sure.

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I've found the Ilford data pretty spot on when using Ilford specified developers. You're only pushing it a stop which is not exactly unusual, so use the book values

I'd follow Aurum's advice initially and depending on your findings I think you might want to try a slightly shorter dev time. Except for D3200 I have never found the Ilford times to be too short for my way but so much depends on your way of metering and exposing.

DDX is a very good all round developer, especially with the Delta range of films.

pentaxuser

Unless you are trying to correct a one time mistake, why push at all? Just use film with a higher ISO.

reasons

Anscojohn said:

Unless you are trying to correct a one time mistake, why push at all? Just use film with a higher ISO.

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it can be pushed to 3200 and pulled to 200 with DD-X

which is when 3200 comes in, which has range of 400 to 25,000